Fraxus Week - Z
by Jeely
Summary: In celebration of the most heartwarming pairing in Fairy Tail, these are my (extremely late) submissions for Fraxus Week. Day One: Firsts (Kiss). Day Two: Cuddle.
1. Day 1: Firsts (Kiss)

"COOOOOOOOOOOL!" the token phrase sounded like a beast spotting its prey as Jason burst into Fairy Tail's hall to interview the rising stars of the wizarding world; after all, stories written about a guild that suddenly exploded into celebrity by coming out of a seven-year doldrum to win the Grand Magic Games were bound to draw reader interest. Fairies and fans alike fled to escape the hunter's sight, save for a few individuals too slow to get out of the way or too absorbed in their work to notice. It was from these unlucky mages that Jason chose his prey.

Freed, too preoccupied by navigating the maze of tables and chairs whilst laden with an armload of heavy books, failed to see the voracious reporter fast approaching him.  
"You! You're the captain of the Raijinshuu, Laxus' personal fanclub! So- So COOOOOOOOOOOOOL!" The high-energy voice bellowing in Freed's ear caused him to jump with a start and drop his books. He could only look on in consternation as Jason pumped his arms in excitement.  
The obnoxious reporter stood between Freed and the exit. All other mages had cleared a wide swathe around the two men, forming a near impenetrable ring of onlookers who refused to make eye contact.  
The hunter had pinned its quarry.  
"You wouldn't mind answering a few questions for me, would ya, Freed?" Jason asked with a wink and a wag of his eyebrows. Freed had hardly opened his mouth to answer by the time Jason's camera flash went off and pen and notebook were procured. "So tell me, how does your hair regrow so quickly after you cut it? I heard it was back to normal only five days after you shaved it all off after the last big Fantasia parade!"  
Freed hesitated a moment as the cascade of words slammed into him while he was still stuck on the first request. "Oh, well, I have this home-brewed shampoo and conditioner that-"  
"Magical shampoo! Wonderful!" Jason's pen flew across his notebook, cutting Freed off entirely. "Then do you have a girlfriend?" A frown darkened the captain's features then. When did he ever agree to this?  
"No, I do not," Freed said.  
"And what of the rumors that you've been crushing on Mirajane?" Jason asked without skipping a beat. "Or Wendy? Cana, Laki, or Kinana maybe? And you've been seen in the same room as Erza! Care to elaborate on your romantic adventures?"  
"I- What? No!" Freed responded sharply, his carefully-gathered composure melting into a defensive hunch. "I have no interest in dating the women of my guild. It would be unprofessional!"  
"Ohh, then what about Kagura of Mermaid Heel? She carries the same stern demeanour you do."  
"Of course not-"  
"Jenny, then?"  
"No!" Freed could only put up with this for so long. Tensions mounted as he grew desparate, but the display was beginning to attract attention. A strong hand pulled him back by a grip on his ponytail until his head craned to face the ceiling, then his vision filled with Laxus. The thunder god descended from the heavens to deliver a kiss spearheaded by tongue and phalanxed by rough lips. By the time Freed gathered his wits enough to react, a camera's flash had already gone off and the kiss was over.

"Publish that you nosey fuck," Laxus said, and then departed. The assembled onlookers parted easily to allow passage, several looks of scandal and knowing humor following the thunder god out the door.  
Freed was left breathless and more than a little confused, his lips still tingling from the shock of absence. The brief interlude was soon cut short by Jason again bringing his pen and notebook to bear, but it was Freed's turn to interrupt.  
"Allow me to elaborate; I have no interest in dating the women of my guild, but that was my first kiss and I intend to follow up on it," Freed said, his gaze raptly glued to the wake of Laxus' departure. "Do excuse me, I am certain you could find another hapless mage to harass."  
Jason floundered, for once at a loss of words, as Freed swept past the reporter to follow his god.  
A minute passed in uncertain silence.  
When comprehension finally clicked in Jason's mind, he uttered the only thing that could sum up the interview.  
"COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLL!" 


	2. Day 2: Cuddle

Laxus was disgruntled.  
It wasn't every day that he admitted others had something he did not, but lately that idea had become increasingly clear, and it unsettled the thunder god. All around him were dragonslayers playing with their cats, happy couples holding hands, friends laughing and lounging together, Cana groping Lucy... Even Evergreen was getting fawned over by her knucklehead of a boyfriend and Bixlow was busy secretly wooing some poor sap with a possessed broom. Yet in the midst of all this, Laxus felt bereft. Lonely, even. He had no one to hold; no one to take to stupid, cliche movie nights; no one to share his bed, his victories and failings... Sappy as it was, Laxus wanted someone like that, someone to call his own. Still, it wasn't like a powerful mage and Grade-A asshole in his position could just go looking for a relationship like that or conjure one out of thin air.  
But as Laxus' self-imposed gloom began to spiral downward, Freed's voice cut through the murk; "Here is your coat, Laxus, dry cleaned as you asked."  
The thunder god turned to regard his captain, miffed that someone would approach him when he was so clearly intent on being grumpy. Although, he had sent Freed on that errand himself, so he allowed Freed to drape the garmet over his shoulders. "Might there be anything else I could do for you?"  
Laxus was ready to brush the offer off and return to his stewing in solitude, but something occured to him then. While he'd been sitting here in a stupid funk, his ever-loyal captain had been out working tirelessly for him.  
Maybe he wasn't as alone as he thought.  
"Yeah, there is," Laxus responded, hatching a plan. "Meet me at my place in an hour." Freed readily agreed and hastened to comply, then turned tail to begin his new mission. So much for waiting an hour.  
But then, that eagerness and loyalty was oddly endearing. Certainly moreso than the suitors Laxus was used to dealing with who reeked of lust and did nothing to conceal their shallow intentions.

An hour later saw Laxus heading home, where he found Freed waiting by the doorstep.  
"You been here this whole time, Freed?" Laxus asked, a teasing jibe in his voice.  
"Ah, well... More importantly, what is this job you spoke of?" Avoiding the question; about as close to an admission as Freed would give. The transparent sidestep earned a knowing smirk from Laxus, one that made Freed turn as red as his coat. "You know I've no other plans tonight, I can devote my full attention to this.. whatever it is you need."  
"Good. You'll need it. Come inside," Laxus said, then pushed past Freed to enter his home. Freed followed him through the entryway - a messy affair with a disorganized shoe rack and an overladen coat hanger - and into the living room. The room was cluttered, dominated by a large lacrima entertainment system and a deep-seated leather couch, with a mahogany coffee table inbetween the two.  
"Where should I...?" Freed began, but the question quickly died. He'd never visited Laxus' home - none of the Raijinshuu had - and the cozy, cave-like interior stood as a stark contrast to what anyone would have expected of the thunder god.  
"Sit anywhere, I need to take a load off. I'll take your coat; you won't be needing it." The request surprised Freed, but seemed sensible enough. Freed shrugged the coat off and handed it to Laxus, who balled it under his arm. "Make yourself at home, I'll just be a minute." With that, Laxus left Freed to get a quick break of privacy in his bedroom. He shed his own coat, shoes, and socks, and took a rare moment to think about what he was doing - Laxus was on a roll today.  
What if Freed was one of those prudish types and all the doting admiration was just the respect of an innocent fanboy? But no, Laxus could smell his friend's carefully restrained lust. Nothing fooled a dragonslayer's nose, after all, and Laxus found he enjoyed having Freed's scent in his own home.  
He had made up his mind.

When Laxus returned to the living room Freed was sitting primly in the center of the couch, hands folded in his lap and boots tucked safely under the coffee table. The rune mage stood at Laxus' arrival, clearly ready to get started. "So, would you like to explain to me the details of this mission?"  
Laxus didn't answer immediately, but instead took the seat Freed had just vacated. "Yeah, few rules," he began. Before continuing, he reached for Freed's waist and pulled the captain into his lap. "First, you stay still. Just... sit here for a while, okay?"  
The sudden order caught Freed off guard, but he nodded his understanding anyway. The scent of confusion and desire was much stronger here in person, a fact that Laxus was beginning to grow proud of.  
"Good. Next, don't go telling anyone about this. Not yet, anyway. It's a secret mission."  
Freed nodded again and began to fidget. It took him a moment to get comfortable, but eventually he settled with his hands folded atop Laxus' forearms, which rested in his lap, and his head tucked beneath Laxus' chin. He still sat stiffly and a vibrant blush was just barely visible across his cheeks if Laxus tilted his head forward enough. "Is this the whole mission?" Freed asked hesitantly.  
"Yeah," Laxus responded. "Don't worry, there'll be a reward."  
"That's odd. I was under the impression that this was the reward."  
Laxus had to suppress a laugh; apparently his captain wasn't as clueless as he'd thought. "Fine, have it your way. I'll make you work for it later." He tightened his hold about Freed's waist, and he could feel Freed relax. The two lapsed into a comfortable silence, reveling in their stolen moment of peace together away from the chaos of guild life.  
When Laxus noticed they'd fallen asleep like that, the room had grown dark. It was Freed's snoring that had woken him, a surprisingly delicate sound. The rune mage was curled in Laxus' lap, clinging tightly to his arms almost like an oversized koala. A sharp jolt ran up Laxus' side when he realized his legs had long since gone numb, but the warmth afforded by the man in his lap made up for it.  
It was something he'd only seen from afar or heard of in gossip and stories, and now it was his.  
For once, Laxus was content.


End file.
